Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-04-22
"Reminiscences Of Raymond


NY Herald: The large fortune
he made from "Colonel Sellers il
this country had given him an appe
tite for wealth. In reckless endeavoi
to become very rich he plunged
wildly into Wall street, and In the
course of year or two speculated II
nearly all away. The European and
the Wall street loss came so close on
each other, and at the time of his
death Mr.. Raymond had only just
succeeded In getting solidly on hi
feet again.
Mr.. Raymond was twice married
His first wife was Miss Marie Cor.
don, of Baltimore, very beautiful
woman, and to whom he was married
in 1868. T@
His second wife, whom by his death
he leaves a widow, was Miss Rose
Courtney Barnes, the daughter Of
Miss Rose Eytinge and Mr.. David
Barnes. They were married April
IL, 1881, and have enjoyed a very
happy life together since. Mr.. Ray
mond was Of very domestic nature
and fairly idolized his only child, a
boy now 4 years old.
Mr.. Raymond's original name was
John 7. O'Brien. When he first went
on the stage some Que told him that
O'Brien was not a good stage name.
so he adopted Raymond, and as il
was under that cognomen that he
achieved success, in 1881 he petitioned
the authorities and Chief Justice Dali
ly gave him tho legal righ, 10 sssuine
the name of Raymond.
lie has been chronic Invalid all
his life, but he took good care Of him
self, and recently seemed in such
good health nobody feared an i'm
mediate fatal termination to his
troubles. Last summer, while attend
ing rehearsal Of his company at the
Bijou, he was taken with an attack
of heart disease, and for several days
was confined TO his room.
HIS physician DIR. Robertson, told
him that only the utmost care would
keep him aliyc.o He advised him not
TO act this year, but Mr.. Raymond
could not lie idle.
lie was a great practical joker and
very fond Of 'matching' for anything,
from pennies up to hundreds OF dol
lars.
~ remember once in the California
theatre" said Mr.. Chas. Schroeder,
''that he and John McCulloch match
cd for the house receipts and McCul-
loch won"
"Once when Mr.. Raymond wanted
to go TO Europe the habit was so
strong on him that he went into a
steam ship oflica and offered to match
for the passage ticket"
! DR.. Chas. Bishop of Bijon theatre
was one of Mr.. Raymond's most inti-
mate and Oldest friends.
"He was the most peculiar man ]
ever knew" said MIR. Bishop. ale
never ate meat and was very abste-
mious and temperate. In his likes
and dis!ikes he was very pronounced.
II he did not like a man be would
tell him so. ! don't believe he ever
told a lie In his life"
"John 4. Raymond was very fine
fellow said II. G. Fiske TO a Herald
reporter last night. He and w. J
Florence aud Sothern made up trio
Of practical jokers who earned rep
utation. Sothern is dead, but the
friendship between Raymond and
Florence has been of the strongest
kind. Raymond, though popular,
had few other intimate friends in
his wide circle of acquaintanoes. lie
had q disastrous season at the Madi-
son Square theatre last summer, so
feared he left but small property to
his family except his insurance mon
ey. lie was heavily insured in tht
tens OF thousands. On the stage and
of he lived reputable life, beyond
reproach. His home life was singn.
larly happy. His marriage was .
love affair, pure and simple, and a ro'
mantle one. Mrs. Raymond's mother
Rose Eytinge, was at tirst very much
opposed, but soon became reconciled.